10 FEBRUARY 1923, Page 42

Miss Florence Irwin is an American, but she steers clear

of the heresies in bridge which we associate with America. She is perfectly sound on such matters as pre-emptive bids and opening two bids to show lack of top honours. Indeed, her only faults are a profuseness of verbiage and a too heavy conpanionability with her readers. Perhaps her book is rather a sound introduction to bridge than a complete guide, and the. expert will find more pleasure and more instruction in " Bascule's" new edition of his treatise. It shouldcertainly pot be placed in the hands of a beginner ; " Bascule " advo- cates calls on the risky side ; but a player who has sufficient knowledge to disagree with him occasionally will find his advice stimulating and profitable.